Am I crazy to go forward with surgery?

[MochamommyCC]

Hi, all -  I have decided (90% decided) that I am going to go through with getting my ovaries removed laproscopically.    My doctor has left the decision up to me and supports it, I just have to let her know what I have decided.  I want to know if my rationale is basically irrational, OR if it truly is o.k. based on what I have experienced.

Background:

I have NOT been diagnosed with OC.  Far from it.  But I do have symptoms and have had symptoms since October of last year.     I am 44 years old, pre-menopausal, have had all of the children that i want to have.  I have had multiple T/V ultrasounds, CT scans, and an exploratory surgery 4 months ago that showed absolutely nothing.    I have had, however, CA-125 tests that are rising.   My first was 'normal' at 32, and the second was up to 46 less than four months later, all with continued symptoms.  I am terrified of OC.

Questions:
1.  Am I crazy for wanting to go forward with this surgery based on my work-up to date and ongoing symptoms?
2.  I am assuming that it is possible with an increasing CA-125 and ongoing symptoms, that OC cannot be ruled out completely even with other normal tests, including exploratory surgery. If that is the case, would I be putting myself at risk by waiting to have the surgery in 2-3 months vs. sooner (i.e., if something was developing, how much more could it develop in 2 or 3 months)?

3.  If I get the ovaries removed, will they be able to detect at that point whether or not there was any cancer that was otherwise undetected?  Assuming there is a no mass.............no mass = no cancer from what some of you have explained to me :)

Thank you for any conversation/input that can help me make this difficult decision.

[MochamommyCC]

Hi, there!  YES, you have helped me understand a lot about OC, NYC Lady :)  

She would do it because of the anxiety level this is causing me and because of my symptoms.  I am in the field of cancer and I know that is at least part of the reason why I am terrified of any cancer, but OC in particular because there is NO screening for it.  I'm scared of other cancers, too, but I get screened regularly and know what to look for.  This is such a huge fear because of my symptoms and the great fear that I have of a cancer lurking in there that can NEVER be detected until it's too late because there are NO SCREENING TESTS that are accurate enough to find it.   Also, I don't have any conditions that they list as being factors of an elevated CA125 (endometriosis and other things)............that just worries me that it went from a 32 to a 45 in a matter of a few months (the fact that it was ever 32 still bothers me.......I know it's within normal, but it's at the very high end of the range!).  So, do you think I'm making a mistake?????   Please be honest.  That's why I am posting here, to get HONEST and unbiased feedback :)

Oh - forgot to say - I'll be going through menopause anyway, so it isn't as big of a thing for me that it will just happen another way.

[nyc lady]

We have exchanged info before.....what are the reasons that your doctor is performing a oophrectomy?  You have no masses on your ovaries, you are pre-menopausal, and there are numerous reasons why your CA125 could be off - especially being pre-menopausal.  

Menopause, especially surgical menopause is no walk in the park.  

How about a 2nd opinion.

Again, no mass, no ovarian cancer...it is not a disease of the blood or body fluids, thus a tumor must be present.